Multi-functional modular pump

ABSTRACT

Embodiments relate to a multi-functional, hand-operated, modular hand pump apparatus capable of drawing in a pumping medium through an intake point, nozzle, filter cap, or combination thereof into a pump housing by means of a plunger rod assembly and discharging the pumping medium through a plurality of discharge points, wherein the entire apparatus is extendable by attachment of a plurality of extension units and can be easily assembled and disassembled without tools.

BACKGROUND

Manually-operated liquid hand pumps such as bilge and sump pumps are commonly employed to remove or pump collected liquid, such as water, from a given spot. For example, a hand pump user may easily pump out water that has collected in the bottom of a boat (i.e., bilge) or a sump in the lower portions of a building. For landscaping, irrigation installation, and construction applications, a portable hand pump may be conveniently used to remove water that has collected in foundation trenches, ditches, valve boxes, meter boxes, or holes at an excavation site. These and a wide variety of other applications may be easily accomplished with the use of a portable hand pump to avoid having to bail such liquids with a bucket, or employ other less convenient approaches, such as an electrically-operated hand pump.

SUMMARY

Embodiments relate to a multi-functional, hand-operated, modular pump apparatus capable of drawing in a pumping medium through an intake point and intake assembly into a pump housing by means of a plunger rod assembly and discharging the pumping medium through one or a plurality of discharge points. Other such embodiments are capable of extension by attachment of extension units and may be easily disassembled, stored, or transported.

Some embodiments relate to a modular hand pump comprising: a body having a substantially cylindrical internal bore and defining an internal surface; one or more body extensions having a substantially cylindrical internal bore defining an internal surface, removably attached to the body to form a pump housing having a first end, a second end, and a substantially cylindrical internal; bore running therebetween defining an internal surface; a plunger assembly having a first rod corresponding to the body, one or more extension rods each corresponding to the one or more body extensions and removably connected in sequence with the first rod to form a plunger rod, a handle assembly connected to one end of the plunger rod, and a pumping means removably connected to the other end of the plunger rod having a cross sectional shape substantially identical to the pump housing internal bore cross section, and capable of sealingly engaging the internal surface of the pump housing, wherein the plunger assembly is axially positioned within the pump housing and actuating the plunger assembly in an upstroke motion axially transmits the pumping means towards the pump housing second end thereby drawing a pumping medium into the pump housing through the pump housing first end.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings illustrate non-limiting example embodiments.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a kit of parts for a modular, hand-operated pump.

FIG. 2A is a perspective view of a kit of parts for a discharge port on a pump casing and hose discharge assembly for a modular, hand-operated pump.

FIG. 2B is a perspective view of a kit of parts for a discharge port plugging assembly on a pump casing for a modular, hand-operated pump.

FIG. 3A is a perspective view of a kit of parts for a modular, hand-operated pump containing a pump extension unit.

FIG. 3B is a perspective view of a kit of parts for a modular, hand-operated pump without a pump extension unit.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Throughout the following description, specific details are set forth in order to provide a more thorough understanding of the invention. However, the invention may be practiced without these particulars. In other instances, well known elements have not been shown or described in detail in order to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the invention. The drawings show, by way of illustration, specific embodiments in which the invention may be practiced. These embodiments may be combined, other elements may be utilized or structural or logical changes may be made without departing from the scope of the invention. Accordingly, the specification and drawings are to be regarded in an illustrative, rather than a restrictive, sense.

All publications, patents and patent documents referred to in this document are incorporated by reference herein in their entirety, as though individually incorporated by reference. In the event of inconsistent usages between this document and those documents so incorporated by reference, the usage in the incorporated references should be considered supplementary to that of this document; for irreconcilable inconsistencies, the usage in this document controls.

In this document, the terms “a” or “an” are used, as is common in patent documents, to include one or more than one, independent of any other instances or usages of “at least one” or “one or more”. In this document, the term “or” is used to refer to a nonexclusive or, such that “A, B or C” includes “A only”, “B only”, “C only”, “A and B”, “B and C”, “A and C”, and “A, B and C”, unless otherwise indicated. The terms “above” and “below” are used to describe two different directions in relation to the center of a composite and the terms “upper” and “lower” may be used to describe two different surfaces of a composite. In the appended aspects or claims, the terms “first”, “second” and “third”, etc. are used merely as labels, and are not intended to impose numerical requirements on their objects.

Embodiments of the liquid hand pump provided herein generally include a plunger mechanism which has a flexible seal which slidingly engages the smooth inner wall or bore of a tubular housing. Embodiments further provide an inlet port and a check valve assembly located at the bottom end of the housing, and an outlet port located near the top end. The plunger mechanism is forcibly displaced through an up and down motion, i.e., reciprocal movement, within the housing by a push rod with handle that is operated by back-and-forth arm movements of a user. The plunger mechanism sealingly engages the inner walls of the tubular cylinder on the upstroke, wherein the handle is pulled away from the inlet port. This generally causes liquids that have collected above the plunger to be pumped out the outlet port. It further creates a partial vacuum below the plunger which sucks in more liquid through the inlet port. On the downstroke, the liquid held in the bore of the housing cannot escape through the inlet port because of the check valve. Thus, it is forced to flow past the pliant outer edge of the flexible seal as the plunger moves toward the bottom of the housing.

Embodiments provided herein are customizable such that liquid can be discharged either through the intake port or other discharge ports. Further, the length of the pump and pump handle can be adjusted in order to accommodate an operator, worksite conditions, or other considerations.

Many prior art pumps of the manually operable type are designed, manufactured and sold with pumping components which are permanently sealed together. These pumps cannot be disassembled for cleaning, transport, or storage, and cannot be customized to specific jobs. Most embodiments provided herein include pumps which are customizable and the parts may be readily assembled and disassembled by hand and without tools.

Embodiments provide an extremely versatile pump capable of discharging pumping medium through the intake port, or through one or more discharge ports located throughout the pump housing. Various discharge assemblies may be employed, such as hoses and nozzles, to further enhance the pump's versatility. Various intake assemblies may also be attached to the pump, such as filters and U-shaped fittings, to prevent unwanted matter from being drawn into the pump. The pump's modular construction also allows the operator to easily extend the pump housing by adding one or a plurality of simple extension units consisting only of a pump housing extension piece and a plunger rode extension piece. The extension units may also be flexible, allowing the user to pump medium from hard-to-reach places or in cramped working conditions.

The present embodiment provides a hand-operated pump which combines a multi-functional discharging capability with a simple, modular design that can be customized on-site by adding simple parts to extend the pump, and easily disassembled for cleaning, storage, or transport. Embodiments are suitable for pumping, intaking, and discharging all manner of liquids, solutions, mixtures, suspensions, ground or crushed solids, gases, vapors, a plasma, or the like.

Referring to FIG. 1, a kit of parts is pictured according to some embodiments, and includes a hollow pump housing 101A having a first end 116 and a second end 113 (as shown in FIG. 2B). Optionally included are one or more pump casing extensions 101B that can be easily installed or uninstalled to adjust the length of the pump. Positioned inside the pump casing is a plunger rod 102A, having a top end 118 attached to a handle 108, or attached to a connector 109 and attached to a handle 108, and a bottom end 119 attached to a plunger pump assembly. Where the pump has been extended by installing one or more pump housing extensions 101B, one or more plunger rod extensions 102B may also be installed to increase the length of the plunger rod 102A. If a plunger rod extension 102B is installed, the plunger pump assembly is attached to the bottom end of the plunger rod extension 121. A plunger rod extension 121 and housing extension 101B may collectively be referred to as an extension unit 303 (as shown in FIG. 3A).

In many embodiments, modularity is achieved by threaded fittings. For example, plunger rod 102A can have male and/or female threaded ends. As shown in FIG. 1, plunger rode 102A can have a male threaded end 118, and a female threaded end 119. Similarly, pump housing 101A can have a threaded end 116 for attaching to pump housing extension 101B and/or check valve 106, and/or nozzle 107.

In some embodiments, discharge is desired through one or more discharge ports such as 115 shown in FIG. 1. In some embodiments, the discharge port 115 may be located at any point on the pump housing 101A, and in yet other embodiments the discharge port may be located at any point on the housing extension 101B. In still other embodiments, multiple discharge ports may exist at any point on the pump housing 101A, a housing extension 101B, or combinations thereof. A discharge port 115 can provide communicate pumping medium radially outward from the pump housing internal bore, or at a 90 degree angle relative to the direction of the pumping medium flow within the pump housing. In other embodiments, pumping medium can be discharged through a discharge port 115 at an angle between 15 and 90 degrees relative to the direction of the pumping medium flow within the pump housing.

Where discharge through one or more discharge ports, such as 115, is desired, the plunger pump assembly comprises an inflexible plate 105 that contains one or more holes or slots through which pumping medium may pass on a downstroke. The plunger pump assembly will further comprise a flexible diaphragm, such as 104, contiguous with the top end of the inflexible plate 105 that sealingly engages the internal bore of the pump housing 101A and any installed housing extensions 101B during an upstroke motion. During a downstroke motion, the flexible diaphragm flexes to allow pumping medium to pass through the inflexible plate 105 and between the flexible diaphragm and the internal walls of the pump housing 101A and any housing extensions 101B.

In some embodiments, pump housing 101A comprises at second end 113 a stop through which one or more rods 102A and/or 102B are capable of passing which prevents the plunger pump assembly from being drawn completely out of the pump housing. The stop (not pictured) can comprise a lip, an inwardly ribbed edge, or a cap capable of removably attaching to pump housing 101A second end 113.

In some embodiments where discharge is desired through one or more discharge ports, such as 115, and not the intake port 117, an inlet check valve 106 may be attached to the intake port 117 located either on the pump housing 101A or on the last of any installed housing extensions 101B. The inlet check valve may comprise an inflexible plate or grate comprising at least one hole or slot through which pumping medium may pass, and a hinged plate or a flexible diaphragm which opens and allows pumping medium to pass through on a downstroke, and sealing engages the inflexible plate or grate on an upstroke, thereby pushing pumping medium away from the intake port 117 and through one or more discharge ports such as 115.

Nozzle 107 can comprise various internal bore contours. For example, the discharge tip can have the same, greater, or smaller diameter as the end which connects to the intake port 117 of the pump housing 101A or housing extension 101B. The discharge tip can have a round, rectangular, or star shaped opening. In some embodiments, the opening comprises a plurality of openings in order to act as one or more of an intake filter, or a discharge sprinkler.

In some embodiments, attachments may be employed to prevent unwanted matter from being drawn into the intake port 117. These attachments include filter plates, and cylindrical filter parts. Cylindrical filter parts may have a top end which connects to the intake port 117 and a cylindrical face and bottom face containing holes and/or filter medium which filter the pumping medium. Some cylindrical filter parts do not contain holes on the bottom face, so as to avoid drawing unwanted matter locate into the pump when the pump is contiguous with the bottom of a pumping reservoir. A U-fitting may also be attached to the intake port 117 to avoid drawing in unwanted matter from the bottom of a pumping reservoir. A U-fitting and a filter plate or cylindrical filter part may in some embodiments be used in combination.

In some embodiments, such as FIG. 2A, a hose 110 is attached to a discharge port 115 when discharge is desired through one or more discharge ports such as 115. The hose 110 may be connected using a hose clamp 112, a hose shank fitting 111B, or a combination of both. In some embodiments a different fitting is used in place of a hose shank fitting 111B. Tape, wire, adhesive, and other methods of attachment may also be employed. Where discharge is not desired through a given discharge port such as 115, a discharge port adaptor 111A, a discharge port adaptor plug 111C, or a combination thereof may be used to block flow through the discharge port. FIG. 2B shows one embodiment of the pump.

FIG. 3A shows that an extension unit 303 can also include a connector ring 103. FIG. 3B shows one embodiment of the pump where no extension unit is attached. The pump may be extended by adding any number of extension units 303, housing extensions 101B, or plunger rod extensions 102B to nearly any length wherein pump operation is still practicable. The pump may also be extended by sequentially attaching one or more additional pump housings 101A, and corresponding plunger rods 102A such that a number of discharge ports can be utilized in a pumping operation. In these embodiments, the one or more pump housings 101A and one or more pump housing extensions 101B can be arranged in any conceivable sequential order such that a particular need may be met. For example, it may be advantageous for one or more pump housing extension units 303 to be oriented contiguous with the pump housing 101A top end 113.

In most embodiments, extension unit 303 is the same length as pump housing 101A and corresponding plunger rod 102A. In other embodiments, extension unit 303 is shorter or longer than pump housing 101A and corresponding plunger rod 102A.

In some embodiments, extension units can employ a flexible housing extension and a flexible plunger rod extension, which allow the pump to be operated in irregular or hard to reach areas. The cross-sectional shapes of the pump housing and housing extensions can be identical. A housing extension and pump housing may have threaded ends, one male and the other female, for attaching each other thereto, or one piece may contain an expanded diameter end into which the other piece may fit. In some embodiments the expanded diameter end contains male threading, wherein a connector ring with female threading can be used to attach the two pieces. In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 1, the bottom ends 116 and 122 of the pump housing 101A or housing extension 101B, respectively, contains the expanded diameter end, and the top end 123 of the housing extension fits thereinto.

A plunger pump assembly may be attached to the bottom of the plunger rod 102A or a plunger rod extension 102B, and may be comprised of several parts. Where discharge through the intake port 117 is desired, an inflexible plate 105 is attached to the bottom 119 or 121 of the plunger rod or the plunger rod extension, which sealing engages the inner bore of the pump housing 101A and any attached housing extensions 101B. In an upstroke motion, at the beginning of which the plunger pump assembly is contiguous with or at its closest position to the intake port 117, the inflexible plate 105 draws pumping medium into the pump via suction, and discharges the pumping medium back out through the intake port 117. In some embodiments the inflexible plate 105 contains one or more slots or holes. Where the inflexible plate 105 contains one or more slots or holes and discharge is desired through the intake port 117, the plunger pump assembly must also contain an additional piece 104 to cover the holes of 105 and remain sealingly engaged to the inflexible plate 105 both during upstroke and downstroke motions. The additional piece 104 may be inflexible, or flexible only in one direction. Where discharge through the intake port 117 is desired, the additional piece 104 must be contiguous with the inflexible plate 105 and oriented in such a way that any movement of the additional piece is prevented by the inflexible plate 105. In some embodiments a nozzle 107 may be attached to the intake port 117.

Pump parts can be constructed from a wide range of materials, including metals, plastics, fiberglass, wood, combinations thereof, and any natural or synthetic materials as would be found suitable by one or skill in the art after review of this disclosure. In some embodiments, pump housing 101A and/or pump housing extensions 101B can have a raised or grooved contour, such as a matrix of raised bumps, to enable enhanced gripping of the pump by an operator. In some embodiments, pump housing 101A and/or pump housing extensions 101B can further comprise a coating or one or more segments of a material having a higher coefficient of friction than the pump housing 101A and/or pump housing extensions 101B. For example, a section of a pump housing can comprise a rubber portion. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A modular hand pump, the pump comprising: a body having a substantially cylindrical internal bore and defining an internal surface; one or more body extensions having a substantially cylindrical internal bore defining an internal surface, removably attached to the body to form a pump housing having a first end, a second end, and a substantially cylindrical internal bore running therebetween defining an internal surface; a plunger assembly having: a first rod corresponding to the body, one or more extension rods each corresponding to the one or more body extensions and removably connected in sequence with the first rod to form a plunger rod, a handle assembly connected to one end of the plunger rod, and a pumping means removably connected to the other end of the plunger rod having a cross sectional shape substantially identical to the pump housing internal bore cross section, and capable of sealingly engaging the internal surface of the pump housing, wherein the plunger assembly is axially positioned within the pump housing and actuating the plunger assembly in an upstroke motion axially transmits the pumping means towards the pump housing second end thereby drawing a pumping medium into the pump housing through the pump housing first end.
 2. The pump of claim 1, further comprising at least one discharge port located on one or more of the body or the one or more body extensions.
 3. The pump of claim 1, further comprising one or more of a nozzle, a check valve, a cylindrical filter attachment, a U fitting, or a filter cap, removably attached to the pump housing first end.
 4. The pump of claim 2, further comprising one or more of a discharge port adaptor plug, a hose clamp, a hose, or a nozzle, removably attached to the at least one discharge ports.
 5. The pump of claim 1, wherein the pumping means is substantially stiff such that actuating the plunger assembly in a downstroke motion axially transmits the pumping means towards the pump housing first end, thereby expelling a pumping medium in the pump housing through the pump housing first end.
 6. The pump of claim 2, further comprising an inlet check valve having a flexible diaphragm abutting an inflexible plate or grate comprising at least one hole or slot though which pumping medium passes, wherein the flexible diaphragm sealingly engages the inflexible plate or grate and pump housing or pump housing extension during an upstroke motion to create a suction and draw pumping medium into the pump, and allows pumping medium to pass through the inflexible plate or grate and between the flexible diaphragm and the pump housing during a downstroke motion.
 7. The pump of claim 6, wherein the plunger assembly further comprises an inflexible plate having: a cross sectional shape substantially identical to the pump housing internal bore cross section, which sealingly engages the inner walls of the pump housing, at least one hole or slot which allows pumping medium to pass through during a downstroke, and a flexible diaphragm abutting the inflexible plate for sealingly engaging the inflexible plate during an upstroke motion and flexing to allow pumping medium to pass through the inflexible plate during a downstroke motion.
 8. The pump of claim 1, wherein pump housing further comprises one or more of grooves, ridges, or a pattern of raised bumps.
 9. The pump of claim 1 wherein the any of the pump parts are built from or contain metals, plastics, fiberglass, or wood.
 10. The pump of claim 1, wherein the body extension comprises a flexible body, and the corresponding extension rod is similarly flexible.
 11. The pump of claim 2, wherein the pump comprises at least 2 discharge ports.
 12. The pump of claim 2, wherein the pump comprises at least 3 discharge ports.
 13. The pump of claim 2, wherein the at least one or more discharge ports discharge the pumping medium at an angle between 15 and 90 degrees relative to the direction of the pumping medium flow within the pump housing.
 14. The discharge assembly of claim 5 wherein the hose connects to any of the plurality of discharge points by means of a hose shank, a hose clamp, adhesive glue, tape, wire, or a combination thereof.
 15. The pump of claim 1 wherein the handle assembly comprises a handle and a connector piece used to attach the handle to the plunger rod.
 16. The hose of claim 4 wherein the hose connected to the at least one discharge ports is attached at the opposite end to an external receiving unit, tank, piece of equipment, a filtration device, or the like.
 17. The pump housing of claim 1, comprising at the second end a stop through which one or more rods of the plunger assembly pass which prevents the plunger assembly from being drawn completely out of the pump housing.
 18. The pump of claim 17, wherein the stop comprises one or more of a lip, an inwardly ribbed edge, or a cap capable of removably attaching to pump housing second end.
 19. The pump of claim 1, wherein the pump can be assembled and disassembled without tools. 